The thing that’s always drawn me to newspapers is the sense of immortality. A hundred years from now, whether accidentally or on purpose, someone looking for information will find it, and find my name. Maybe they will like what they read. Maybe they will think it’s trite and old-fashioned. Either way, it’s part of history and, if there’s another girl, far into the future, searching for her roots, maybe something I wrote can help.

Which is why it means the world to me that my paper published the article based on my research. You can find the link here. I love what they did with the cover, using Grandpa’s picture. I grabbed a bunch of copies to send to Mom and Dad, give to Mary Ann, Arnetta — lots of folks.

Like the article says, I’ve learned so much in all these months researching. I feel I know so much more about Grandpa himself. I’ve learned about judgement and luck. About the things that should break you and don’t. About the power of humor, and family, and how this city, my city, can shelter and shun. I guess you could say I’ve learned a little more about what it means to be human.

And I’m not done. All of this has convinced me I need to write a book. And it has to be about Grandpa’s life. There’s one story in all of us. That’s what Harper Lee always said, right? This one’s mine.

So, I’ll search on and see where this tale takes me.